Make a Water Filter at Home in Fourteen Steps

written by: Suvo
• edited by: Lamar Stonecypher
• updated: 3/12/2011

There are many commercial water purification systems available in market. In case you don’t have one or need to repair the existing one, this article will help you make a water filter for fixing drinking water problems temporarily.

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A homemade water purifier can be made in two ways: firstly,by purchasing the commercial filter element and placing it in some sort of containers and secondly, by making the filtration media from locally obtained low cost materials. In this article we will discuss only the second method. Here it goes:

Parts Needed and Construction

2.Arrange a ½" drill machine and use it to perforate the bottom of one of the bucket.

3.Similarly perforate one of the lids. Make sure that perforation density of the bucket and that of the lid should look somewhat like below:

5.Drill another ½" hole to the side wall of the second bucket. This hole will be used to attach a tap for draining the drinking water.

6.Purchase a food grade plastic tap. The thread end of the tap should be suitable to fit into the ½" drill hole of the second bucket. 7.Tighten the nut of the tap properly, so that there is no leakage of water from the hole. You can use locktite for making the joint leak proof.

8.Next, you have to create the so-called filter element by using gravel, charcoal, sand and excelsior.

9.Clean all the materials properly. Take the first bucket (which has perforated bottom).

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10.Place one layer of clean gravel at the bottom of the bucket. Keep the layer thickness around two inches.

11.Place a charcoal layer over the layer of gravel.

12.Put one layer of sand now.

13.Again put another charcoal layer. This way put three layers of charcoal and three layers of sand alternatively. Keep all the layer thickness around two inches.

14.Finally place the excelsior layer at the top. Total thickness of all the materials should be around half the depth of the first bucket. The arrangement of the first bucket should look like below:

Once the first bucket is ready with all the filling layers, you need place the lid (which is already perforated) over the second bucket. And then place the first bucket on top of it. Make sure that perforation of the bottom of the first bucket and that of the lid of the second bucket aligned properly.

Pour water to the vacant portion of the first bucket and wait till it drops down to the second bucket. Throw out the first lot of water and then use the rest of it for drinking.